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This special issue aims to address the gap in transnational families studies by identifying if there are common patterns and effects of transnational family life across countries and regions, using cross-country comparative analyses. In this editorial introduction, we highlight the overarching themes emerging from seven papers, which employ new large-scale surveys specifically designed to collect information about transnational family life across different Latin American, African, and Southeast Asian countries and China. We discuss how these comparative studies offer new ways of understanding transnational families by focusing on their prevalence, composition, the experiences of their members, and how these change over time. We also highlight how differing and changing notions of care over space and a person's lifetime influence how transnational families are created, reproduced, maintained, and experienced. In general, the issue as a whole emphasises the need to take structural factors in both sending and receiving contexts into account when studying the form that transnational families take, how this changes over time, and the general and specific gendered effects they have on different members.

This special issue aims to address the gap in transnational families studies by identifying if there are common patterns and effects of transnational family life across countries and regions, using cross-country comparative analyses. In this editorial introduction, we highlight the overarching themes emerging from seven papers, which employ new large-scale surveys specifically designed to collect information about transnational family life across different Latin American, African, and Southeast Asian countries and China. We discuss how these comparative studies offer new ways of understanding transnational families by focusing on their prevalence, composition, the experiences of their members, and how these change over time. We also highlight how differing and changing notions of care over space and a person's lifetime influence how transnational families are created, reproduced, maintained, and experienced. In general, the issue as a whole emphasises the need to take structural factors in both sending and receiving contexts into account when studying the form that transnational families take, how this changes over time, and the general and specific gendered effects they have on different members.

There is no empirical research on the school performance of children who live separated from their parents in sub-Saharan Africa-a major migrant sending region in the world. This study uses survey data from junior and secondary school children and youths in Ghana (N = 2760), Angola (N = 2243) and Nigeria (N = 2168) to examine how different transnational family formations such as internal or international parental absence accompanied by migration or divorce, who is the migrant parent and who is the caregiver, the stability of the caregiving arrangement and remittances relate with the school performance of children who stay behind. School performance is measured through an index of grades in language, mathematics and science. The results show that international parental migration (Ghana), the internal parental migration accompanied by divorce/separation (Nigeria) and migration of both parents (Ghana and Nigeria) are likely predictors for decreased school performance. No effects are observed when parents are abroad and divorced/separated, when only one parent migrates, when children are in a stable care arrangement or when children receive remittances or not. The analyses show that the overall relationship between parental absence and education varies by the transnational dimension being analysed and by context.

In Moldova and Georgia, two post-Soviet countries with high emigration rates, there is little systematic empirical research on the school performance of children whose family members migrate. This study uses nationally representative data (Moldova, N=814; Georgia, N=655) and employs child- and caregiver-reports of school performance of children living in different transnational family configurations. We found similar assessments of school performance by children and caregivers in Georgia, but results do suggest some differing perceptions in the Moldovan reports. Overall, fathers' migration, when mothers are caregivers, correspond to worsen education in Georgia. In Moldova, on the contrary, children with migrant fathers and cared for by mothers report improved school performance. Furthermore, in Moldova, better performance associates with parents being abroad, either together or divorced (child-reports) while decreased performance relates to the absence of remittances (caregiver reports). The findings highlight the importance of considering different transnational characteristics and who makes the assessment. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

There is no empirical research on the school performance of children who live separated from their parents in sub-Saharan Africa-a major migrant sending region in the world. This study uses survey data from junior and secondary school children and youths in Ghana (N = 2760), Angola (N = 2243) and Nigeria (N = 2168) to examine how different transnational family formations such as internal or international parental absence accompanied by migration or divorce, who is the migrant parent and who is the caregiver, the stability of the caregiving arrangement and remittances relate with the school performance of children who stay behind. School performance is measured through an index of grades in language, mathematics and science. The results show that international parental migration (Ghana), the internal parental migration accompanied by divorce/separation (Nigeria) and migration of both parents (Ghana and Nigeria) are likely predictors for decreased school performance. No effects are observed when parents are abroad and divorced/separated, when only one parent migrates, when children are in a stable care arrangement or when children receive remittances or not. The analyses show that the overall relationship between parental absence and education varies by the transnational dimension being analysed and by context.

In Moldova and Georgia, two post-Soviet countries with high emigration rates, there is little systematic empirical research on the school performance of children whose family members migrate. This study uses nationally representative data (Moldova, N=814; Georgia, N=655) and employs child- and caregiver-reports of school performance of children living in different transnational family configurations. We found similar assessments of school performance by children and caregivers in Georgia, but results do suggest some differing perceptions in the Moldovan reports. Overall, fathers' migration, when mothers are caregivers, correspond to worsen education in Georgia. In Moldova, on the contrary, children with migrant fathers and cared for by mothers report improved school performance. Furthermore, in Moldova, better performance associates with parents being abroad, either together or divorced (child-reports) while decreased performance relates to the absence of remittances (caregiver reports). The findings highlight the importance of considering different transnational characteristics and who makes the assessment. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.